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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What’s one small thing you could give up that would save you a LOT of money long term?!

382 replies

early30smum · 10/08/2025 22:12

Coffees in London are around £4 now. I definitely don’t get one myself every day, but between me and my husband we definitely average out at spending this per day just on coffee. We just worked out, spending £4 a day on coffee every day, is almost £1,500 a year. Just on takeaway coffee. Insane. Over 20 years, that’s just under £30,000…

OP posts:
nomorenomoreme · 11/08/2025 07:22

Nothing really. I’m already cheap due to being a one income household.

nopiesleftinthisvehicle · 11/08/2025 07:22

herbetta · 11/08/2025 07:07

Buy Premium Bonds instead of National Lottery - that way you get to jeep the money!

Show quote history

I have them already. You are right, they do offer some return most months, which is a bonus 😀

TheGrimSmile · 11/08/2025 07:20

mamabearlove · 11/08/2025 01:24

Making my dog eat dog food!! Probably spend about £10 a week on fresh meat for her .

Oh my God, same. My dog only eats chicken! It's about a tenner a week. And then little treats on top.

ThisHazelDog · 11/08/2025 07:20

DNAexpert · 10/08/2025 23:34

Cleaner, gave up at start of Covid and haven’t restarted. £10,700

Nails, gave up 2019. £3600

Hair, gave up highlights 2013 and only have it cut every 5-6 months now. £7800

Alcohol : gave up three years ago. £1000

Daily Costa coffee and breakfast. Gave up 5 years ago. £13650

Added up that’s an astonishing £36750 I saved on bad habits and treats. 😮😮😮

This is amazing! Real food for thought here, I’ve got plenty of things that I could cut out but I don’t really want to and I only think of the savings individually. But when it’s all put together like that it’s really sobering

Humminggoat · 11/08/2025 07:19

OliviaBonas · 10/08/2025 23:03

Vinted would be so hard to give up. Their homepage is so intuitive and knows what you want to buy even more than you do. They make it so easy. I’m addicted to selling on the site too. I’ve listened to podcasts on Vinted and it’s designed to be addictive.

This is so true. The amount of times I’ve gone on there to look for a specific item that the dc need and then seen many other things and gone “oooh”. I only go on there when I need something but when I do I go hard and buy lots!

Also I think I need to delete instagram. Because there are lots of things in my house that I didn’t know I needed until they kept popping up all over my feed.

Also need to stop getting sucked in to multi buys thinking I am saving money. Because now I have 5 pet hair removal gloves that I didn’t know I needed until I saw them on Instagram instead of just one. In addition to the two brushes I already had.

Which brings me to Amazon Prime. It’s just so easy to buy stuff and get it same or next day. It does save me money in some respects (free books, cheaper prices than local shops) but I probably do also buy stuff I wouldn’t if I had to go to an actual shop and spend actual money.

Which then brings me to Apple Pay which I really need to delete because it doesn’t feel like real money.

Gonk123 · 11/08/2025 07:17

Give up my mortgage any day of the week!

hattie43 · 11/08/2025 07:16

QVC addiction and visiting Waitrose too much . Not in debt but spend way too much

PigglyWigglyOhYeah · 11/08/2025 07:11

Wine.
Visiting M&S food hall. I never leave without spending about £50, mostly on nice stuff we don't actually need.

Angelbottom · 11/08/2025 07:11

Wine
products from boots and Space Nk, which I can’t live without, but then stare at me in my bathroom cabinet unused!

Tiddlywinkly · 11/08/2025 07:08

My cleaner
Takeaway coffee
Lunch meal deals - I need to get organised
Clothes
Takeaway food - only once a month, but almost always disappointing in reality

Pppppplease · 11/08/2025 07:08

The lottery

herbetta · 11/08/2025 07:07

nopiesleftinthisvehicle · 10/08/2025 22:45

Like a PP I could say Vinted.
I'm totally addicted to buying clothes from there.
Some hit, some a definite miss (once tried on) I find it almost as relaxing as Mumsnet for nightly browsing 😁

Also - and probably more savings to be had - lottery and Euromillions tickets.
I buy more than I should if it's a biggie 🫠

Buy Premium Bonds instead of National Lottery - that way you get to jeep the money!

Tiddlywinkly · 11/08/2025 07:05

AnnaQuayInTheUk · 10/08/2025 22:27

My Vinted addiction. I dread to think how much I've spent in the last year. I've dropped 2 dress sizes which means I've had to buy "new to me" clothes but I've gone OTT.

I've had to uninstall the app!
Congrats on the weight loss

LillyPJ · 11/08/2025 07:03

This is one of those threads that makes me think I must be the poorest person on MN!

RainbowSlimeLab · 11/08/2025 06:59

Pets

I have an elderly cat whose medicine costs £50 a month, plus expensive food and treats to get her to eat something. Easily £100 a month all told. Plus veg eaters - another £100. And then there’s four sacks of dry food for various animals bought every few months, bedding and mice for the snakes. I would have a heart attack if I properly added it all up!

Zezet · 11/08/2025 06:57

Being blonde would be the easiest one for sure. £300 at the hairdresser (though only twice a year) and the products to keep blonde dyed hair healthy are also £££££.

arcticpandas · 11/08/2025 06:56

Chocolate. I've calculated that I consume chocolate for 40£ p month. Gym membership is 25£ but very much worth it, especially with the chocolate addiction 😆

Katemax82 · 11/08/2025 06:56

Perfume subscription
Skin+me subscription
Rafflehouse subscription
Botb dream house tickets
10 quid on bottled water week

plushteddy · 11/08/2025 06:54

Gail’s breakfast 💔 it consists of a pastry and coffee.

HangryBrickShark · 11/08/2025 06:53

Mounjaro. And horses.

Pricelessadvice · 11/08/2025 06:52

Horses. It would save me about £15k per year.

LillyPJ · 11/08/2025 06:51

LushLemonTart · 11/08/2025 06:28

What's the maximum amount?

Show quote history

I think it's £50,000.

JustGoClickLikeALightSwitch · 11/08/2025 06:37

I drive at times when I/ we could really walk, with associated petrol costs for a large car.

HideousKinky · 11/08/2025 06:31

new clothes
I am sure I have enough to last me the rest of my life

Gymbunny2025 · 11/08/2025 06:29

Over 6 grand a year if I stopped all the gym/exercise I do completely 😳 (and I can run for free…)

and that’s not adding in the workout clothes, sports massage, protein shakes. OMG